Wednesday, February 1, 2017

After ten long years, desperation has forced Luna Sinclair back to Los Lobos, but nothing in her experience has prepared her for the heat that Pack Protector Gunnar Redmond unleashes. Her wolf is clawing to break free and run straight for the hulking beast; but what wolf in his right mind would want to be tied to her family tree?

Not everyone is happy about welcoming the daughter of one of the old alpha’s henchmen home.

Old wounds and secrets are exposed and, to make matters worse, Drew Tao, the new alpha, has reason to suspect she might have revealed the pack’s most closely guarded secret when she escaped the crazed survivalist who had been keeping her prisoner.

None of that matters to Gunnar.

He’s known Luna was his mate since finding her naked and shivering on pack land, and he’ll do anything to keep her. With their wolves clawing to mate and danger closing in, anyone who wants to hurt her will have to go through him first.

* * * *

A member of Romance Writers of America and published since 2009, Paris writes contemporary, paranormal, erotic and historical romance, throwing a little mystery and suspense in for good measure. She considers herself a hybrid author. Currently published with Decadent Publishing and self-publishing her own titles, she likes nothing better than a story that contains a little mystery and a lot of romance.

When not dreaming up stories featuring heroes who aren’t intimidated by strong heroines, she can be found haunting antique and thrift stores for unique finds, or searching for heirloom seeds for yet another new flower garden.

Excerpt PG 13:

“What are you afraid of?”

“I’m not afraid.” Doubt clouded her gaze. “I’m not afraid.” Her second attempt came out a whisper, as if repeating it again would make it true.

His wolf wanted to comfort her. His alpha, Drew Tao, wouldn’t appreciate him putting his own needs first. He’d been tasked to be a pack protector, and at the moment, he didn’t like it much. “You were running as if you were being chased.” He softened his voice. “I need to know who or what has you so scared.”

“Who are you?” Suspicion tinged her question.

“Gunnar Redmond, and it’s my job to know, so you might as well tell me.”

“I’ll tell the alpha. No sense in repeating it twice.”

“It is if the pack is in imminent danger,” he snapped.

“I had a pack of dogs chasing me. I didn’t remember the exact location of our border, but, apparently, they did. I wanted to make sure I was on Tao land before I stopped.”

She’s lying. Dogs giving chase barked like mad, and he hadn’t heard anything. Interrogation was a tricky thing. Sometimes he learned more by listening. “The dogs around here aren’t usually that stupid. What did you do to piss them off?”

“I’m female, you work it out.”

No wonder his wolf had been rippling under his skin. “C’mon, then, I’d best get you someplace safe before I need to fight off anything stupid enough to follow you.”

He had enough trouble ignoring the panting beast trying to claw its way out of him. In a few minutes, he’d need to ask for his shirt back so he could hide the evidence.

Her scent beckoned the wildness inside, and one glance at her bare feet as she picked her way over the rough path stirred another desire. He scooped her up and tried to ignore her trembling. Tried to ignore the bones stretching her flesh too thin. She held herself stiffly and as far away as his arms would allow as he carried her, clearly intimidated.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” He spoke in a gruff manner because if he tried to be kind, he’d end up doing something to appease the beast clawing at him and demanding more.

“Unless I’m a threat,” she whispered. Any returning wolf had to be vetted. This could go either way. He’d never known Drew to be vindictive, but her father had a nasty reputation and his actions had harmed more than one family.

He hadn’t known Ed Sinclair personally. He’d heard the were-bear, Gee, and some of the older wolves mention the bad old days and the men who’d followed Magnum into the kind of depravity no one liked to talk about.

Ed Sinclair had been a mean-spirited bully whose temper worsened with each drink. Man, woman, or child had been fair game as long as Magnum issued the orders and supplied the booze.

Try as he might, he couldn’t remember ever hearing anything about Sinclair’s family.

This time of day, Drew was probably having lunch at The Den, which meant Gunnar would have to parade Luna through Gee’s bar, half-naked and filthy. He could have taken her to his cabin, let her at least clean up and gotten something to cover her, though he doubted she would have trusted him to have her best interest at heart.

“I appreciate the lift, but I’d rather not be carried through town,” she growled, and he almost smiled. It had been a tiny growl.

If he’d been Ed Sinclair’s offspring, he’d be trying to retain a speck of pride, too. He lowered her to the ground and winced when one of her heels left a bloody print in the dirt. She defiantly lifted her chin, and he knew he’d have a fight on his hands if he suggested she return to his arms.

He needed to pick his battles with this one, or he’d surely lose a war she didn’t have any idea he was fighting.